So...my significant other threw a big bash for the the big milestone. It was an epic party expected of us. The food was outstanding, the libations were unlimited, the speeches were unparalleled. My significant other and my siblings went out of their way to make the day special for me and I loved every moment of it, except two.
My bro-in-law did an epic roast of me. Since he didn't know a lot of people who knew a lot about my childhood (the juicy bits of course), he reached out to a friend I have known practically all my life. Now, this guy has a reputation of being an unreliable narrator on the best of days but the things he mentioned really hurt. The assshole doesn't know the boundaries of what can and should be disclosed. He probably thought he was being funny but it was hurtful especially because he pinned stuff on me that I never did or said. Denying it in a large gathering would have been worthless.
But wait, it gets worse...
Another guy gets on the stage. He will barely qualify as a friend. Under the guise of pulling my leg, he went on a long tirade and painting me as a penny pincher and a fraud when none of the incidents were remotely true. He tried to paint them as something I said 1:1 and crossed the line between harmless fun and downright character assassination. For a moment I had a to wonder if that's how people see me. I hope not. The result will be that I will retreat from him but I won't forget...
Hats off to the friend from college though who refused to disclose any of the dark secrets. He did uphold the creed of friendship.
Made me wonder about the message I had spent about the 50th birthday of a friend and if I hurt him as much as I was hurt.
